A Pitcher’s Shuffle and a Rookie’s Chance
The Rainout Ripple Effect
Mother Nature decided to play manager this week, sending the Minnesota Twins into a scheduling spiral that would make even the most seasoned planner dizzy. After a rainout against Cleveland led to a reroute to August, another washout had the Twins batting their eyelashes at a Saturday doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers. The big question: to skip a pitcher’s start or not? Minnesota voted for a hard pass on that strategy, causing Pablo Lopez to toe the rubber on Friday instead of Thursday, and leaving Joe Ryan to handle the Saturday night light.
Simeon Woods Richardson Gets the Call
In the wake of the adjusted calendar, the Twins dialed up Simeon Woods Richardson from the St. Paul counterparts, gifting him the 27th roster slot like a golden ticket to the big league candy store. He isn’t just in for the ride, folks. He’s set to headline the matinee of the doubleheader.
Third Time’s The Charm, Right?
The Woods Richardson Roller Coaster
Can Simeon Woods Richardson stick the landing this time? His brief stints in the bigs over the past two seasons have been a bit like a toddler on ice—some nifty moves, but plenty of bumps. After playing a cameo with a decent 3.60 ERA over five innings in 2022, he faced the music against the Nationals, which, let’s face it, was more cacophony than a symphony. Pitching relief on that fateful day, he got a less-than-warm welcome, surrendering five runs on seven hits.
Spring Promise and Summer Hopes
However, this spring breathed new life into Woods Richardson’s prospects. He narrowly missed the final roster, but with the Twins‘ pitching lineup doing its best Swiss cheese impression, he’s the last healthy non-MLB arm on the 40-man. If he can convert chicken salad out of… well, you know, he just might have a shot at more than this fleeting cameo.
Jeff Bilbrey
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